Goldenblade meets with Setsuna

Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade has offered to meet Setsuna in the bar in Alne just outside Scale HQ. It's not quite neutral territory, but it's not exactly alliance turf, either. She'll wait by the entrance for him to arrive, then lead him to a table, a bit apart from others, where quiet conversation can be had with a minimum of fuss and random eavesdropping. She'll order beer, and pay for whatever Setsuna's having also, then wait for the waitress to leave before she begins.

"So, you probably know by now about this undead army business in Ninetails, right? Landers captured, and I think you captured one of the monsters, right? In one of the figths?"
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna had apprehensions aboout where they were meeting and as he approaches the bar he looks at it hestitating for a moment and then sees his host for this outing. Goldenblade might almost be able to make out Setsuna puttng on his 'people' face as he approaches. "Hey there, " he says as they find their table looking at the waitress he specifically ask for water and emphasizes actual water, not a drink that taste like water. Turning back to Goldenblade he is about to begin with pleasentries when the swords-woman starts right into it. The off guard expression that the necromancer was caught with is very evident before he he finishes processing the question. " I see news of that has gotten around. I would expect it to I put up a bounty in the hunters guild and everything. So yeah I know about them." Setsuna takes a moment and then asks the question hanging in the air, " Need some undead?"
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade shrugs as Setsuna orders water. Well, she's old school, and sips her beer with a shrug. Old school, but a bricklayere, so not used to the typical drinks over discussions type drinks. If they even have that here. She smirks at Setsuna's offer, shakes her head. "Thanks, no, we've got too many undead attacking people as it is."

She sips her beer again, then asks, "So, you know about all that. Do you know that they took a player and converted them? It was a while back, but I only recently learned about it."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna sips his water as he listens and then when asked about the undead player he looks at his water and frowns. " I miss soda, a carbonated drink, " the necromancer says as he seems to be ignoring the question and then sets his water down and nods at Goldenblade. Taking a moment he looks at the people around before finally saying, " Yeah I was there I saw it. I was there with Giganpor, and Miho, I believe Amalthea...maybe Merek. Thats all I remember, its interesting you bring him up. Everything I have been doing these last two months are because of him. Why?"
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade smirks at Setsuna, and says with a chuckle, "I know what soda is. I'm not -that- old." She doesn't drink it often, herself. But she'd have one if she had an upset stomach. She looks surprised as Setsuna admits to knowing about it, and that they've been working on things in the last couple months. "Well," she says. "That's a surprise to me. A pleasant one, though. I had thought that since it was so long ago and nothing happened since, and no word of things happening, that nothing was happening. I am glad to be wrong about it. But now I am very glad to have cornered you for this talk, so perhaps I can find out how I can help. I'd been putting together a ... basically, a commando raid," she uses the outdated term, "but with no intel to go on, part of what we'd be doing would be the scouting. But, if you've already got something in progress, I would love to dovetail the two efforts."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna tilts his head and considers for a moment, " I am not working on what you are hoping for ." Picking up his glass as he looks at it for a moment, this wasn't what he wanted and it was written on his face. " I'm happy to help but I can't promise there exist a cure for him. Outside of death maybe. " Taking a moment he considers what is being asked, " Maybe the others are waiting on me, maybe they forgot or don't care. Maybe they figure he was a player killer so wasn't worth their time. Again maybe no one really cares and it would be better to let the ninetails kingdom fall as a reminder of what indecision brings. " Setsuna takes a moment to breath apparently getting a little work up, " I was asked to look for a way to break the spell. I finally was able to test the spell on a grunty the other day, it went as you can guess. There isn't an immediate solution, I have my guesses but likely will need an enigma piece, the bigger the better." Finally he sips his water again before adding , " Keep in mind all my theories are based off an animal. An adventurer, well my research hasn't gotten there yet."
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade looks worried when Setsuna says he's not working on what she's hoping for, but then describes exactly what she was hoping he'd found. Or at least an effort in that direction. Success would have been nice, but it wasn't necessary for her immediate goal. "Ah, you've got half of what I'm looking for, at least." she admits.

She looks around to make sure no one's eavesdropping, this is probably not the best subject for Landers to overhear. "But I think I saw you before, with a captured undead? That's actually ... well, my goals are a bit scattered. I'd like to get the player back, as a player, of course, whether he's a PVPer or not. I don't like leaving anyone stuck for months like that. And here's me assuming that the player's still alive, but not in control of his avatar. My team's initial plan was to kill the undead and hope the player respawned in the player graveyard uncursed. That plan's been, as they say, overcome by events. Our second plan was to waylay him and sneak him out, and you either to cure him, or at least bind him while we work on a cure. We being you."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    The necromancer listens and hears what is being suggested and considers it. In his head he is picturing all the possibilities from here on out, all the ways to go forward and contemplates the feaasibility of it all. Even the extra weight being put on his shoulders as he considers the last bit too. All while just starting into the his glass before he takes a breath, " Start from the beginning of your half first. What type of team do you have? Who have you talked about this with? Do you have alliance support or are we going into this as crazy as Merek?"
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade actually laughs at the mention of Merek. "Good grief, I hope not," she says, and takes a deep swig of her drink. Shaking her head, she says, "So far, I have Baroness Wake and Akatsuki, along with myself, on the infiltration team. Neither of them mentioned your guys working another plan, so I'm assuming you hadn't planned on a stealth and infiltration mission. I had planned on sneaking in, striking, and then getting the hell out of Dodge." As to who she talked to, she says, "I spoke with Xander, because he was a soldier in real life, and he thought our plan was ... as good as it could be, given the situation. He also never mentioned you guys, but I don't know if he was just being close or you hadn't spoken with him, either." As far as alliance support, she says, "I've asked members of all the alliances, but I haven't gotten any specific support from any leadership. I wasn't aware I needed it, though I suppose I could give them a head's up."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna shakes his head, " I was simply ask to research it, and the person they put in charge of the research...well she doesn't reach out it seems. I doubt Proteus even remembers what she was voluntold to do, however I am surprised the Baroness didn't say something. I have kept her aware of my status. Then again perhaps it was just courtesy to not speak on others behalf. I mean even Xander has been kinda aware especially after my success." Shrugging Setsuna contemplates and processes more, "Xander is a good person to bring, he led the scouting party on floor five. Don't take Merek, he is to much of a risk. Take a healer in case it all goes south. DO NOT TAKE MEREK." He emphasizes heavily that last bit again. Contemplating further he adds, " You also need to know what you are chancing. You will have to subdue the guy, and who knows how many other boss level monsters to get out. Outside of Aurthur, you have hector the one who just recently killed Merek, a hunter level vampire, and well Helena herself who Giganpor said almost one shot him."
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade looks worried at Wake not saying anything. "I will have to ask. Or, maybe she assumed our efforts were in parallel?" She can only shrug about Xander, "He knew I was going to talk to you, he may have assumed you would fill me in. Our plan, as I said, was a surgical strike: get in, kill or capture, and get out before they could muster a response." As to the other bad guys, she admits, "So, part of our plan was a raid by a main player force on a target nearby where they were keeping the player. We were hoping that would draw off the major part of their forces. I think Xander might be the right person to lead -that- force. The infiltration force will only be the stealth people." She smirks, and adds flatly, "And I would not take Merek even if just to prisoner swap him." Though she has considered it.
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna tilts his head, " Well I mean if you could convince the others and probably have to incapitate Merek but you might be able to exchange a prisoner. " His mind shifted to the thought of the lady they saved ifrom the cabin, she wasn't really a prisoner but it was a possible option for exchange. " Take shiruba with you, a tracker would be good. If you want sneaky people then I am out of that group. I don't know many people who are sneaky I guess. A few other possible leaders for the main force would be Giganpor or Prophylaxis. Even Amalthea would be viable option. " They were options, they eren't his dream team but they were options. So then I guess I should do hat ever it takes to figure out how to cure a player of this problem hmm? "
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade smirks, shakes her head about exchanging Merek. "I don't think they'd give me a used skeleton for Merek. If they would, I'd have less respect for them." She wouldn't exchange the lady in the cabin. She's been through enough and Goldenblade wouldn't put her through more, even for a player. Not a stranger, and a PVPer besides. /Maybe/ for a friend, she'd sacrifice a Lander. "The list of sneaky people is very short," she admits. "That's why it's me, Akatsuki, and Wake. I talked to Shiruba, but tracking's not going to be as big a deal. From what I learned from her, and I did learn a fair bit, their leader doesn't like players, even as undead, and I think they're not going to give him any sort of autonomy where we'd have to track him." There's a few other stealthy folks, but they're not generally around enough and known to Goldenblade, which is her main criteria. "Anyhow, a small group is more stealthy than a large group." She nods about the recommendations for the main force. "Those are all strong options," she agrees.
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Leaning back into his chair Setsuna contemplates more for a moment and then adds, "Given information isn't getting passed around. There is a carnival making landers going missing. Ran by three boss size monsters. If you are available next time it appears I could use an extra pair of eyes and a sword that is steady would help too." Finishing his glass and setting the empty glass at the edge of the table . "Anything else yoou can think of to share or discuss? Not that I don't enjoy the chats I do. Just apparently i have to figure out a cure sooner then I thought."
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade sighs ruefully about information not getting passed around. "Yeah. I'll speak with Wake. And if I hear about a carnival, I'll definitely try to be there." She hrms at more things to discuss. "Oh, more precautions we discussed. Suicide pills. We don't like it, but waking up in a church a day later is better than being taken as undead. And we'd like to have fresh mounts and maybe a backup team waiting outside their territory, so if we're running out but being pursued, maybe they could help us take out the pursuit. Or at least have spare pekos so we can mount up and ride like hell."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna contemplates the thought of a suicide pill and hadn't ever considered that, "An alchemist could probably make it, don't ask the doctor. He will likely fireball you before he does anything, however I don't know if that would work on you. I have a theory I can't prove yet. I think it was only possible because the person was a player killer, he was flagged as one at the time of being turned. I think that its not possible unless they do that."
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade arches a brow at the player killer theory. "Now -that's- interesting," she says. "And while it's a great theory, I'm not going to take the chance on proving it. Are you sure he was flagged, or is that just a theory? Though maybe if we can find one of his Guildies, we can find out for sure if he was flagged when it happened. Even so, only one player's been captured that I know of. Unless we throw them someone as a guinea pig, we're not going to find out if flagging affects it or not." Merek comes to mind again. "Though, they didn't turn Merek when they had the chance. Though ... maybe they just didn't want him?"
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    The necromancer shakes his head, "The guildie won't help. I just sought her out again recently and she was as likely to kill me then give me a straight answer now. However in previous conversation she said he was and I saw the flag. I saw it happen. I am positively positive that they need that flag or why not turn all of us. Giganpor and Amalthea pinned down the turner by themselves but it was barely. We have had losing fights, why not turn us. Simple no one of us PK" At the mention of a guinea pig Setsuna begins to fiddle with his empty glass contemplating things for a moment, " Well we wouldn't need to throw the player to them as a guinea pig. I could do it." Setsuna then looks at Goldenblade with the impish grin he wears before breaking into a laugh as if to signal what he said was a joke.
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade sighs at the PK Guild being uncooperative. "That so doesn't make sense. But I know the type. Even in real life, some people just want to see the world burn to hear the crackle." She nods at having seen the fellow flagged, and agrees, "That's -huge- news for us. That makes the suicide pills unimportant. As long as we're not flagged. Though, if we're fighting a player zombie, will that flag us?" Too many questions. She nods as you explain your reasoning. "That makes good sense to me," she agrees. "I had previously thought it was to do with catching people at a certain HP level, like less than 10 percent or whatever. But if they have to be flagged, that's big news." She eyes Setsuna worriedly at his little joke. "Be careful, or we'll take you seriously," she says.
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna nod his head, " Landers and such have to be in the red but I think there is an extra requirement for us. Conjecture and theory but its based in evidence. " Setsuna seems to be trying to remember something for a moment before he shakes his head, "As far as I remember I wasn't flagged and I fought him head on him. He turned into a barbarian skeleton if I remember right. Also be careful they have the ability to sink into the earth." His impish grin appears again as he seems to reply to her last comment, " I should be careful, or I might too."
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade nods about them sinking into the earth. "They go home that way, as far as I could tell. I scouted them out, overheard them." She nods about not getting flagged for fighting the monster player. "That's good to know. I've got to put all this into a comprehensible whole and get it back to my team, you've definitely given me food for thought. And we definitely need to coordinate." She wonders, "So what was your guys plan to take him? Just wander around, fighting every undead army in the land til you found the right one?" She doesn't rise to the bait, alas.
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna shrugs at the last question, " I don't know. I had hoped others were doing the scouting and planning of them and I was just trying to figure out the cure. I think they were hoping I would find a way to mass undo it, then we would just mass undo the army." Shaking his head and considering for a moment , " All this talk is making me realize that meeting of alliances a couple months ago really was a show and not really meant for anythng else.Do you know of any other scouting parties about to do what you are going to do?"
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade ehs, "I don't think it was a /just/ a show. We just didn't know then what we know now. Plans that don't change with new information are bad plans. I think the fact that so many people came together wanting to help was pretty good, too." She shakes her head about other scouting parties. "I know nothing. But what you say definitely makes me want to talk to Wake and Amalthea about what we want our plan to be going forward."
Setsuna
Alne - Hostess of Fertility


    Setsuna nods his head , "Well then I suppose we will have to figure out the next step then." Standing up he fishes a coin from his inventory and sets it on the table for the waitress. " We should talk more , once you have the information. For now I will continue to review my notes about the player and look for any clue on a cure. Always a pleasure, " He wanders to an exist as he listens incase called out for else he would eventually head out the door.
Goldenblade
Alne - Hostess of Fertility

Goldenblade drains her mug, orders a refill. This is definitely a 2-beer problem. She cogitates as Setsuna departs.